A lacey leotard

I was already a big fan of the Dansez and FirmFit dance/active wear so I was delighted when they sent me an amazing leotard to review. So here is my complete and honest review (plus some pretty awesome pictures by Rennison-Rae Photography).

The leotard is part of the Embrace range, a deluxe range of leotards. As soon as I opened this leotard I was in love with it! The lace cutout design is incredibly beautiful, plus I’ve always wanted a leotard with a high neck and shorts-style bottom (I think it just looks so classy), so I felt like a very lucky girl.

My one concern was that as there was no bra-lining I might fall out of it when performing any allegro (not so good when there is only a small panel of opaque material to cover the chest!). Happily, with some adjusting, the leotard is supportive enough in this area and I haven’t fallen out of it (phew!). However, I wouldn’t advice this leotard for someone with a larger bust as the front opaque panel isn’t too large.

The leotard is mainly made of lace in a pretty floral pattern. This has a small amount of stretch allowing for good range of movement at the shoulders and back. I particularly like the key hole back detail, which again adds to the beauty of the leotard. (Just be careful with the Velcro neck that it doesn’t attach and pull on the pretty lace).

I thought I would love a shorts style leotard, and in theory I do, however when dancing the legs rolled up and so I was constantly adjusting them between dances. Although I think this could be due to my muscular legs...

The leotard has washed brilliantly, unlike previous leotards I have owned, where the colour and material has seemed to wear in the wash.

Ultimately I love this leotard and think it was the perfect choice of attire for my most recent shoot with Rennison-Rae Photography. I’d love to see this leotard in another colour - possibly a nude pink, navy, emerald green or bright red!

Thanks Dansez!

You can purchase the leotard here - https://www.dans-ez.com/collections/embrace-1/products/1508-biketard-lace?variant=30899714250 

Check out FirmFit active wear here - https://www.dans-ez.com/collections/all-activewear

And find more Dancez leotards here - https://www.dans-ez.com/

Check out the leotard in action in this dance inspired shoot with Rennison-Rae Photography - 

Thanks Chris for another great set of photos!

Anarchy Strength

After a series of meetings over the past few weeks I am excited to announce that I shall be working very closely alongside Anarchy Strength to promote injury care and education within the Strongman and StrongWomen community. In addition to writing on their upcoming blog, I shall be travelling with Anarchy Strength to Strongman events to provide my services as a Graduate Sports Therapist and First Aider. If you see us at these events please come say hello!

Keep an eye out on the Anarchy page and my own to see what we're up to! 💪🏼 #StartStrongFinishStronger

https://anarchystrength.co.uk/ 

Five Summer Fitness Tips for the Dancer

A big part of dancing is long days of training or performing. Feeling strong and fit can really help you to perform your best within class and onstage, preventing fatigue and ultimately preventing the risk of injury. If you put the effort in, you can reap the rewards and see your full potential through maximised performance. Whilst it is great to take time away from dance over the summer in order to rest and recover, it can also be a period of reversing all your hard work over the previous year. Returning to class you may feel that your once strong muscles are now sore and tired. Take a read of my five top tips for unleashing your skills this summer, so you can come back stronger the following season...

Aerobic training

Choose an aerobic exercise you most enjoy. For me this would be swimming or cycling, but others could try running or rowing. These cardiovascular exercise are perfect for increasing your fitness levels so that you are less fatigued by the end of dance class.

Get outside

Just because you spend the rest of your year inside a cold, dark studio doesn’t mean you should train in the same conditions, in fact quite the opposite. Get outside to catch those rays, perfect for boosting your Vitamin D levels which have been proven to improve muscular strength, increase jump height performance and reduce injury levels. So instead of doing a pilates session indoors, take your mat into your back garden, or go for a bike ride with friends. But don’t forget your sunscreen!

Incorporate dance specific exercises

Identify the muscle groups involved within specific movements and train them. For example, a port de bra can be mimicked using therabands to strengthen shoulder girdle, or bosu ball can be used to train balance and strength in the lower legs.  

Work on your weaknesses

Perhaps you picked up an injury this past season and now you feel weaker than previously in that area. Well now is the perfect time to revise that situation and to come back stronger than you were before.

Try something new

Now is the opportunity to try a new activity. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to go surfing, or fancy going for that long walk along the coast. DO IT! Get out and let your mind and body relax so that you can return to dance feeling fresh and enthused.

Enjoy!

 -E

The importance of Vitamin D for the dancer

It’s pretty standard that a sunny day brings out a good mood in all. I just love opening the curtains wide and letting the sun’s rays flood the house and jump at the chance of visiting the beach in some shorts to catch some colour. Well it turns out that the sunshine isn’t just good for our moods, but also building a healthy body…

With limited hours being spent in natural sunlight due to many hours being spent inside from classes or rehearsal, dancers are at a greater risk of Vitamin D deficiency. A 2013 study by Wyon et al. found dancers to have insufficient levels of vitamin D, especially within the winter months.

Vitamin D is a vital nutrient for maintaining strong bones and helping the body to absorb calcium. Calcium is vital for growth, immune function, blood pressure, muscle mass and strength. So it is no coincidence that research has found vitamin D supplementation to be beneficial in increasing vertical jump height and isometric muscle strength, whilst also reducing injury rates within elite ballet dancers.

It is believed that due to the high levels of stress which is placed on dancer’s bones and muscles, a vitamin d deficiency can cause greater harm on their bodies, than others who train at a less intensive level. A stress fracture is a common injury within the dancing population, and although it may be caused by poor programming, technical or biomechanical factors, it could also be linked to a vitamin D deficiency.

Dr Wolman (National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science) recommends that dancers need about 1000 IU of vitamin D3 a day, however for the deficient dancer higher levels may be needed. If you are worried about your Vitamin D levels, contact your Dr who can perform a simple blood test to calculate your levels.

Vitamin D can be found in natural sources of food such as salmon, tuna, eggs, cheese and milk. You might, therefore wish to contact a registered dietician who can advise you further.

Adidas Florals

For years now I have only worn Nike, however Adidas have been upping their game over the past few seasons and I have drawn towards some items.

I am completely in love with this new floral design from Adidas, its perfect for Spring!

These items are definitely on my wish list!

 

Here are links to the items -

http://www.adidas.co.uk/adilette-supercloud-plus-graphic-slides/S78041.html

  

http://www.adidas.co.uk/printed-gym-tote-bag/AJ4281.html

http://www.adidas.co.uk/techfit-floral-print-long-tights/AJ0537.html

There are a lot more items in this range such as sports bras, a rucksack, swimwear, hoodies and jackets so take a look to find your favourites.

-E

New In H&M

When I got an email through from H&M featuring a gorgeous new bright neon active wear bra and matching leggings I couldn’t help but go online and check it out. Shortly after I made the purchase…well it wasn’t more Nike kit so it was ok right?

The delivery was quick, and when I got it through I was delighted that the small in both items fit perfectly. In H&M my sizing can be all over the place and so I was sceptical that these items in a Small would fit, however I was happy to be proved wrong.

The garments are a gorgeous stretch material and so colourful that I can’t fault them. The bra is really supportive and I love the feature of a  high neck, which keeps me all tucked away when exercising in the gym, unlike other sports bras I own  (I’m not one to have a cleavage on show as I don’t find it attractive). The bra is designed using different colour lycra and mesh making cool and comfortable to wear. The leggings are just as great, especially as they are long enough in the leg for a 5ft 11 girl! Plus, the back of the leggings aren’t see-through - Winner! A perfect pair of leggings for leg day!

You can’t really fault the outfit at £14.99 a piece! For those feeling the pinch after the Christmas period, I would recommend heading to H&M to make sure you’re kitted out for a New Year of PBs!

I’m not a great fan of the other H&M active wear due to the dull patterning and I wish they did more funky stuff like this, so fingers crossed for future lines!

Here are some snaps of me wearing the items in 1°C conditions.

-E